Wireless Microphone Module With Return Channel Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microphone systems lack efficient means to communicate stage directions and status information to users during events, often relying on eye contact, hand signals, or acoustic cues, which can lead to misunderstandings, especially in large settings with multiple wireless microphones.
Innovation Solution
A wireless microphone system with a portable microphone module that includes a transmission unit for audio signals and a receiving unit for status information and messages, featuring a return channel for bidirectional communication, allowing users to receive targeted and unmistakable instructions via a display or vibration alarm, enhancing communication during events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional acoustic or visual cues (eye contact, hand signals) are used for communication during events, then the system remains simple without additional devices, but misunderstandings occur especially in large settings with multiple wireless microphones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the base station sends status information and messages back to microphone modules through a return channel. This allows users to receive direct feedback about their transmission status, battery level, and other operational parameters, eliminating the need for ambiguous visual or acoustic cues and ensuring reliable communication even in large settings with multiple microphones.
2Ease of operation
If a return channel with display and vibration alarm is added to the microphone module, then information distribution becomes direct and selective, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a return channel as an intermediary communication path between the base station and microphone modules. This separate channel carries status information and messages independently from the audio transmission, allowing the system to provide direct and selective information distribution without interfering with the primary audio function, thus managing complexity through functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or acoustic communication methods (hand signals, acoustic cues) with electronic communication through the return channel. The display unit and vibration alarm provide information electronically and haptically, substituting the need for visual or acoustic mechanical cues, thereby improving ease of operation while the electronic implementation manages the complexity through integration.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Microphone systems having wireless microphones are often used in events such as discussions, concerts, plays, etc. and normally have a plurality of wireless microphones which are worn by users, such as actors, musicians, singers, etc, and one or more receiving stations which receive the audio signals of the wireless microphones and forward said signals to mixing consoles, amplification systems, recording devices, etc. In addition to the basic functionality of transmitting audio signals, microphone systems have become known which implement additional functions. The invention relates to a microphone module 2 having a transmitting unit 6 wherein the transmitting unit 6 is designed for the wireless transmission of audio information to a base station 3, having a receiving unit 8, wherein the receiving unit 8 is designed to receive wirelessly transmitted status information and/or messages from a transmitter 4, 12 and having an output device 13, 14 for the output of the status information and/or messages to a user of the microphone module 2.